Do I have to leave my house during termite treatment?
For a liquid barrier or bait installation around a Gastonia home, usually no. The work happens outside and in the crawl space or garage. For fumigation, yes: you, your pets, and your plants leave a Gastonia home for about three days until the fumigator clears it.
How long do termite bait stations take to work?
Bait works on the colony's timeline, not yours. After installation around a Gastonia home, workers must find the stations, feed, and share the bait. Colony decline typically takes a few months. Newer baits act faster, and your Gastonia provider can tell you what to expect.
Can I treat termites myself?
Partly. Fixing moisture, moving mulch, and sealing cracks are good Gastonia, North Carolina homeowner tasks. Treating the colony is not. Retail sprays kill what they touch and warn the rest. Save the money for a Gastonia inspection and a proper treatment.
Does fumigation kill subterranean termites too?
Tenting is a drywood tool. The gas reaches every gallery in the wood of a Gastonia, North Carolina house but not the ground beneath it. If mud tubes are present, the Gastonia provider will pair fumigation with a liquid or bait treatment around the foundation.
Can termites damage a house on a concrete slab?
Slab construction in Gastonia hides termite entry very well. With no crawl space to inspect, the first sign in a Gastonia home may be damaged trim or a swarm indoors. Bait stations around a Gastonia slab home are a popular option because they avoid extensive drilling through floors.
Can you treat for termites before building a house?
Yes, and most termite companies offer it. Context for Gastonia, not a local measurement: in Pest Control Technology (PCT) magazine's 2025 termite market report (a Readex Research survey of roughly 145 pest-control professionals about 2024 operations), 79% of responding locations offered pre-construction treatment, which describes services on the menu rather than how many new homes are treated. Providers serving Gastonia should be able to explain how their recommendation fits what they actually found on your property.
Do most pest control companies treat existing homes for termites?
Yes, nearly all of those surveyed. Another data point for Gastonia readers: in Pest Control Technology (PCT) magazine's 2025 termite market report, a Readex Research survey of roughly 145 pest-control professionals about 2024 operations, 94% of responding locations offered post-construction treatments, a figure about what companies sell, not about household infestation rates. Gastonia homeowners comparing quotes should ask each provider which of these patterns they see locally and why.